community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Arroyo Seco, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in fall (100th percentile) and lowest in spring (78th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Arroyo Seco?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Nov 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Arroyo Seco, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on May 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, willows, native wildflowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Alfalfa: about 38 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Arroyo Seco
Mostly: Southern Rocky Mountain Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland; Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.14 mi N.
How Arroyo Seco ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 53rd | 76th | 95th |
| New Mexico | 99th | 78th | 99th | 100th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Plateau | 98th | 95th | 98th | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 30% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Arroyo Seco: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Taos Pueblo 4 mi · Arroyo Hondo 5 mi · San Cristobal 7 mi · Taos 9 mi · Taos Ski Valley 10 mi · Ranchos de Taos 11 mi
All towns in New Mexico · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Arroyo Seco (36.5215, -105.5861); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.